For the Love of a Princess
by myula
Summary: -AU, fantasy story- Orihime, a simple peasant girl, gets lost in a strange land and is saved by the Prince of Darkness himself, Ulquiorra. Suddenly, there are squires showing up claiming she's a lost princess and hollows trying to kill her. Orihime prepares for the journey of a lifetime as she seeks the truth of her birthright and tries her best not to fall in love with Ulquiorra.
1. When First We Met

**Introduction**

**Main Characters**

**Orihime Inoue** – Orihime appears to be a simple peasant girl. She was orphaned at a young age and was raised by an older brother named Sora. After he passed away, Orihime found herself living on her own. She works in an orchard in the warm season and as a barmaid in the cold season. Despite her humble background, she's extremely intelligent. She is generous and kind, although this is sometimes superseded by her shy and awkward nature. For some unknown reason, she is strongly favored by the Gods, especially the Goddess of Love and Beauty Rangiku Matsumoto.

**Ulquiorra Schiffer** – Ulquiorra is one of the Princes of Darkness. Little is known about him except for the fact that he is a part of the Court of Dark Souls.

**Prince Ichigo Kurosaki** – Ichigo is a half God/half human Prince of the Kurosaki Kingdom. He is known to be favored by the Gods and has been blessed with God-like powers. He rarely smiles and often aloof and grumpy. Despite this, he loves his sisters fiercely and is on good terms with his father. Additionally, he is known to be diligent when it comes to his Princely duties and is loved by his people. Many believe he will become a good king one day.

**Rukia Kuchiki** _– Goddess of Charity _

Rukia is the sister of the Goddess of Grace Hisana Kuchiki and the sister-in-law of the God of the Nobility Byakuya Kuchiki. By her very nature, she is generous and incredibly selfless. Her unrequited love for the God of Water Kaien Shiba caused her to exile herself to the human world, where she spends her time bringing generosity to humans and rulers. As a lesser Goddess, she is often mentored by the God of Joy and Peace Jyuushiro Ukitake.

**Prince Uryuu Ishida** – Uryuu is a human Prince from the neighboring Ishida Kingdom. He is known to usually be quiet, composed, and thoughtful. His natural sensitive and calm demeanor is often at odds with his father's expectations that he become a more aggressive young man and a more ambitious prince. His Kingdom does not acknowledge the power of the Council of Gods, but instead used to practice the old faith of the Quincys. Uryuu is a devout follower of the Quincy way of life and advocates for a complete return to the old ways, despite the fact that the faith is dying in his country.

**Tatsuki Arisawa **– Tatsuki is the granddaughter of King Kurosaki's former military adviser General Arisawa and the best friend of Orihime. As a child, she would often play in the Kurosaki castle with Prince Ichigo. Her favorite game to play with Ichigo was 'pretend sword fighting,' where she would often end up injuring the prince. Having a general as a grandfather has made Tatsuki a skilled warrior; she is adept with a sword, but most often prefers hand to hand combat. After her grandfather's death, she and her parents moved to the countryside. Her parents own an apple orchard that Orihime works at in the warm seasons.

**General Sado 'Chad' Yasutora** – General Chad is the best friend and the newly appointed General of the Kurosaki Kingdom. His grandfather was the main military advisor to King Isshin, granting Chad and Ichigo many opportunities to become close friends as children. Chad is known across many kingdoms for his strength, military acumen, and courage. His successes in battle have generated rumors that he is favored by the Gods. He is usually quiet and takes his job very seriously; both traits belie his true optimistic and compassionate nature.

**Renji Abarai** – _God of the Warrior_  
Renji is a lesser God and agent to the God of War Zaraki Kenpachi. He is the patron of warriors, and works to maintain honor on the battlefield. He is in love with the Goddess of Charity and is constantly working to please her. As the God of Warriors, he is often agent to her brother-in-law, the God of the Nobility.

* * *

**Chapter 1: When First We Met**

"Orrriiihhimmeeee!" Tatsuki called out breathlessly. She slowly walked up one of the steep hills of her parents' apple orchard. It was a brilliantly beautiful day, with blue skies and a bright yellow sun. The apple orchard was dense with trees in their prime. The leaves on the tree were a lush dark green and the apples were red rubies amongst them. The grass was yellow and high and bees buzzed in the air. There were numerous workers out in the orchard picking the apples. Some of them climbed the branches, while others stood on ladders in order to reach the fruits.

"Where are you?" Tatsuki asked as stepped around a particularly large tree.

"I'm up here!" Orihime replied back. The sound of her voice came from directly above Tatsuki.

Tatsuki looked up but saw nothing but green leaves and red apples.

"Where– " Tatsuki began to ask before Orihime suddenly landed in front of her with a loud _thump_!

"Where did you come from?" Tatsuki blinked with surprise.

"I was up there, silly," Orihime pointed to the branch above them. "I was picking apples." She pointed to the basket of apples sitting at the base of the tree.

"I realize that," Tatsuki responded dryly. "My mother wants to know if you're going to be working tonight at the tavern."

"Where else would I be?" Orihime countered cheerfully as she reached up toward one of the low hanging branches and plucked a bright red apple from its stem. She walked over to the basket of apples and placed the one she had just picked on top of the pile.

"Well…" Tatsuki began carefully. "You've just been working so hard lately. We weren't sure if you needed a tonight to yourself. You could relax somewhere or go see one of the shows at the theater. I hear they have a new play and a traveling minstrel."

"I don't know what you're talking about. I haven't been working too hard," Orihime said calmly. She looked down at her dirtied hands and tried not to wince at the calluses forming on her fingers.

"My mother said you would say that," Tatsuki pursed her lips. "Well, either way, you should come over for dinner tonight. My mother's making mincemeat pie!"

Orihime laugh happily at the thought of one of her favorite dishes.

"Oh Tatsuki, I couldn't…I've relied on your family's kindness for too long," Orihime turned around and faced the trunk of the tree. She reached up and grabbed a branch with both hands. Then she stuck a foot on one of the knobs at the bottom of the tree trunk and hoisted herself up into the arms of the tree. "It was so nice of your parents to let me rent that room above the tavern. And I just ate at your house yesterday!" She began to pick more apples.

"We like having you over," Tatsuki said as she stepped over to the trunk of the tree. "Here let me take those," she said. Orihime handed three apples down to Tatsuki and then continued to pick three more.

"Tatsuki, I told you. I'm trying to save up," Orihime explained. She handed the apples down to her friend.

"You keep saying that, but you won't share what you're saving up for," Tatsuki pushed. Orihime sighed loudly and stared at the tree bark in front of her.

"Well…if you must know…I want to look for the truth behind my parents' death," she admitted. She glanced down at her friend who gaped at her.

"But, I thought you knew what happened to your parents," Tatsuki said.

"I know only what my brother told me," Orihime replied as she jumped down from the tree. "That they were killed coming home from the Ishida Kingdom, but I know nothing of the details. I want to know who killed them."

"But…I thought it was an accident?" Tatsuki shook her head with shock.

"I don't think it was…" Orihime frowned. She leaned back against the trunk of the tree. "I know it's silly but, but I've just got this gut feeling about it. Whenever I would ask my brother about the details, he'd begin to act all strangely."

"So what do you want to do once you've saved up enough?"

"I want to visit the Urahara Temple. My parents were reported near there when they died. Someone there must know something," Orihime said, looking determined.

"The Urahara Temple…that's ten leagues from here!" Tatsuki exclaimed.

"I know, I plan on paying a merchant so I can travel with them. There are plenty going back and forth between here and the Ishida Kingdom," Orihime reasoned.

"Wow…what an adventure that will be…" Tatsuki said with wonder. "When do you plan on going?"

"As soon as I have enough," Orihime said with a smile. "I'm almost there."

Suddenly, an apple flew through the air and landed straight into Tatsuki's chest.

"Oof!" Tatsuki said as the apple hit her. "Owww!"

"Keigo!" A male voice called out. As both ladies turned around, they saw Mizuiro and Keigo running through the trees chasing one another.

"Keigo! I'm going to get you for that!" Mizuiro called out angrily. Another apple went flying and nearly hit Orihime in the face. She ducked, letting the apple fly past her head.

"You guys! Stop that!" Tatsuki scowled. The boys came to a halt once they reached the ladies. "You're wasting apples!"

"We're putting them to good use, I'd say," Keigo said with a grin. He reached up and plucked one from a nearby branch. He rubbed the apple against his shirt before taking a big bite out of it. "They're delicious, Arisawa. Give my regards to your parents!"

"You're bruising them by throwing them around," Tatsuki said through gritted teeth. She grabbed the apple out of Keigo's hand.

"Keigo started it," Mizuiro said bitterly. "I've got at least three bruises to prove it."

"Don't you have better things to do than running around with this fool?" Tatsuki asked Mizuiro. "You're a lesser lord's son."

"Mizuiro's skipping out on his lessons today," Keigo said with a laugh. He reached over and took the apple back from Tatsuki and continued to eat it. "He wanted an excuse to get outside."

"It's just too beautiful of a day to stay cooped up inside," Mizuiro admitted with a blush.

"Well we should do something more fun than bruising each other with apples!" Tatsuki said as a smile formed on her face.

"What do you have in mind?" Keigo said excitedly.

"How about a dip in the lake?" Tatsuki suggested.

"Yeah! That sounds like fun!" Keigo eagerly agreed.

"I would love to cool off," Mizuiro nodded.

"Orihime?" Tatsuki said, turning to her friend. "It's the end of the day. I think you could use a bit of fun before you start work this evening."

"I suppose I could," Orihime agreed with a broad smile.

"Last one there's the King's fool!" Keigo called out as he sprinted away from his friends.

"Wait! The only fool around here is you," Tatsuki growled as she raced after him. Orihime laughed cheerfully as she and Mizuiro ran after the two. The friends chased each other through the apple orchard. The sun was beginning to set, and the workers were leaving the orchard for the day. Everything in the orchard turned gold as the sunset painted the sky with ribbons of color. Orihime dodged several workers and trees as she ran freely. With the wind in her hair, the sun on her face, and the scent of apples in the air she was happier than she remembered being. _Oh, if only every day were this carefree,_ she thought to herself.

They broke free of the orchard and came across a large dirt path. Orihime knew this road very well. It was the main road that went through the center of town and up to the Kurosaki castle. She crossed it frequently whenever she and Tatsuki would go swimming in the lake. Keigo excitedly jumped on to road, crossing it without glancing up. The sound of horses neighing loudly and hooves beating against the dirt path startled him.

"Ack!" He cried, jumping back away from the horses.

Orihime, Tatsuki, and Mizuiro stopped at the edge of the road and gasped loudly. Keigo had just jumped right in front of the royal carriage.

"Get out of the way!" Yelled the coachman. He scowled at the young man as he snapped his whip to urge the horses forward.

"Sorry! I wasn't looking," Keigo explained sheepishly as he stepped off the road.

Orihime stood and gaped as the carriage went by. In all her years, she had never seen the royal carriage before. It was ivory-colored with gold trim. The ornate red and gold Kurosaki crest was on the side of the door. The wheels were large and rolled along smoothly. Two footmen sat upfront with the driver. She could see into the large windows. Inside were velvet red seats and golden wallpaper. More important though, she could see the Prince, himself, Ichigo Kurosaki!

"Oh my gods, Tatsuki, look!" Orihime whispered with awe.

Ichigo Kurosaki sat straight as a rod and stared in front him, not noticing the commotion that was going on outside. He seemed lost in thought, his dark chocolate eyes focused. His face held a slight scowl, as if he were displeased with something. Orihime could see that he wore no crown upon his head, instead his yellow-orange hair was slightly mussed.

"What? It's just the Prince," Tatsuki said with a shrug.

"Of course you would say that! You practically grew up in the castle since your grandfather was a military advisor to the King!" Orihime exclaimed.

"I live in the country; my parents own an orchard and a tavern. I'm far from royalty," Tatsuki stuck a tongue out at Orihime.

"But you used to play with him, the Prince, when you guys were little," Orihime pressed. Part of her was swooning at the idea of royalty. She had lived such a simple life that merely seeing the Prince's carriage was exciting.

"I doubt he remembers me," Tatsuki said pursing her lips.

"Look, there's another carriage," Mizuiro pointed out. Behind the white and golden carriage was blue and silver carriage.

"It's the Ishida carriage!" Keigo observed.

"What are the two carriages doing together?" Orihime whispered excitedly. As the blue and silver carriage went by, Orihime saw a dark-haired young man sitting in the seat. He wore spectacles and had dark blue eyes. Unlike Prince Ichigo, however, this young man looked out the window and noticed Orihime. Their eyes met, and held for several seconds. Orihime couldn't help but blush as she finally looked away. He continued to stare at her though as if suddenly fascinated by an ordinary peasant girl.

"Is that Prince Uryuu?" Keigo asked.

"I think it is…" Mizuiro answered.

"What is he doing staring at you, Orihime?" Tatsuki asked with glee.

"I don't know," Orihime said in a hushed tone. For some reason she felt like she had to keep her voice down, despite the fact that the carriages made so much noise that it'd be impossible for the Princes to hear them.

Suddenly, there was a loud CRACK! The friends looked over and saw that the wheel of the Kurosaki carriage had snapped. The carriage was now lopsided and disabled.

"Gods be damned!" The coachman yelled as he hopped off. A yellow head popped out of the window of the carriage.

"What's going on?" The Prince asked.

"A hollow's footprint, my lord. The wheel's broken," the coachman took off his hat and wrung it in his hands. Indeed, it had been a large hollow's footprint that the carriage wheel had gotten stuck in. While the axle seemed intact, the wheel itself seemed damaged beyond repair. "Aye, what are we to do now!" The coachman exclaimed.

The door of the carriage swung open and the Prince jumped out. Orihime could see that he was tall, with broad shoulders. She couldn't help but notice how dashing he seemed in his white and gold military uniform.

"A hollow? So close to the village?" The low timbre of his voice echoed back to them.

The door to the Ishida carriage popped open as well.

"What is it now, Kurosaki?" The dark-haired Prince asked sardonically. The Ishida Prince stepped out of his carriage and walked over to the broken one. Like the Kurosaki Prince, Prince Uryuu wore a blue and white military uniform.

"A broken wheel," the Kurosaki Prince replied. He rubbed his chin and stared at the wheel as if willing it to fix itself. Orihime was shocked at how casual the Princes were in their mannerisms. For some reason, she expected them to behave differently.

"Well what do we do?" The Kurosaki Prince asked, turning to the coachman.

"Ah…" the coachman's face turned red as he fumbled with his hat. "I suppose I could send one of the footmen to the castle. We could have someone from the stable come and fix it."

The yellow-haired prince was about to reply when Keigo stepped forward.

"Actually, my lord, there's a carpenter nearby in the village," Keigo offered. "Er…I mean, your majesty, or your highness…er"

"It's Ichigo," the Prince replied with a tight smile.

"We'd be happy to run and get him," Mizuiro added calmly.

"Would you? Mizuiro, correct?" Ichigo replied. Mizuiro blushed. Even though he was the son of lesser lord, it surprised him that the Prince knew who he was.

"Yes, my lord," Mizuiro answered.

"Alright, if you don't mind, getting that carpenter would be a good idea," Ichigo said, stuffing his hands into his pockets. He leaned against the lopsided carriage casually. "We shall wait here for your return. Meanwhile, let us send one of the footmen to the castle to get us another carriage."

"Right away, my lord," the coachman said as he turned to the footmen and began giving them orders.

"We shall be right back then, my lord," Mizuiro gave the Prince a small salute before he grabbed Keigo and turned around. The boys scurried away, cutting through the orchard.

"Great, Kurosaki, you had to stall us," the dark-haired Prince commented lightly. It was easy to interpret the Prince's words as being irritated, but the small smile on the Ishida Prince's face showed that he was merely joking.

"It's a beautiful day, Ishida," Ichigo replied nonchalantly. "It's good to get some fresh air."

"I suppose," the Ishida Prince agreed but started to pace restless.

"Those apples look delicious. I admit I'm a bit hungry," Ichigo commented as his eyes roamed the orchard.

"You are more than welcomed to help yourself, my lord," Tatsuki stepped forward. "This is my family's orchard."

Ichigo blinked, seeing the two girls for the very first time. Orihime took a small step closer to Tatsuki, as if hoping to hide behind her friend.

"Thank you…Tatsuki?" He asked as he stepped forward. "Is that you?"

"Haha…ahhh…yeah, yeah it is," Tatsuki said with a blush.

"My gods! It's been…what? Fifteen years? Last I saw you, you had your hair in braids," the Prince teased.

"Must you remember that?" Tatsuki said dryly. She automatically ran a hand through her short crop of hair and smiled. She stepped onto the dirt path in order to get closer to the Prince. Orihime was left behind by herself. Nervously she followed her friend.

"It's good to see you," Ichigo nodded. His eyes darted to Orihime and then back to Tatsuki. "Where are my manners? Please let me present to you, Prince Uryuu Ishida of the Ishida Kingdom. Ishida, this is my childhood friend Tatsuki and her friend…?"

"Orihime," Tatsuki said. "May I present my friend Orihime Inoue."

"Tatsuki and Orihime," Uryuu said as he gave a formal bow. His eyes focused on Orihime. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

"It is also a pleasure," Ichigo said, bowing to Orihime. Orihime could feel her cheeks turn bright red. All the attention from the two Princes was too much for her.

"Oh the honor is all ours, my lord," Orihime scrambled into a small but awkward curtsey.

"Are you from this village?" Uryuu asked. He took a step closer to Orihime but turned his head to look at the beginnings of the village down the road.

"Ah…yes, I've lived here most of my life," Orihime said, taking a few deep breaths to calm herself.

"It's funny there's this deep hollow footprint out here by the village," Ichigo thought aloud to himself. He was completely oblivious to the conversation Uryuu had begun with Orihime. Instead, he walked to the footprint and kneeled down. He reached down and lightly touched the outlines of the footprint with his hand, inspecting its size and shape.

"I have not heard of any hollow attacks," Tatsuki added as she walked over to the footprint as well.

"Why are you so concerned with the footprint if there haven't been any attacks?" Orihime asked, following her friend over to the yellow-haired Prince. Uryuu blinked as Orihime walked away from his conversation without an afterthought.

"If there are footprints, there will inevitably be attacks. Look at this print though, it's large and very deep. That means the hollow must have been huge and very heavy. I can't believe our coachman didn't see the print," Ichigo explained.

"Perhaps he was too busy looking for people who were crossing the road without looking," Uryuu pointed out dryly. He joined the other three in inspecting the footprint.

"I've never seen this type of footprint before. The shape of it is rather unusual," Ichigo commented.

"I've seen similar near the Ishida kingdom," Uryuu said.

"Really? I thought hollows didn't go near your kingdom?" Tatsuki asked. It was well known that since the people of the Ishida people didn't practice or acknowledge the Council of Gods, hollows had a difficult time surviving in their lands.

"Historically they haven't, but most recently there have been sightings of them," Uryuu explained.

Suddenly, a loud screeching noise could be heard. The ground shook as the screeching grew louder and louder. Ichigo, Uryuu, Tatsuki and Orihime looked up and saw a large ogre-like hollow appear amongst the trees. This hollow had a hunched back and was taller than the trees. Its face was obscured by a bone-like mask. It had yellow beady-looking eyes and scraggly long dark hair. The hollow's skin was an olive-green color. It screeched again, calling attention to its presence. In a distance, the orchard workers could all see it approaching. They began yelling for help as they all ran in the opposite direction.

Both Princes drew their swords as the hollow approached.

"Get back!" Uryuu called to the girls as the hollow got near them. The screeching from the hollow was almost deafening. Both girls covered their ears with their hands as they scrambled backward toward the orchard.

"RUN!" Ichigo yelled as he leapt toward the hollow. The yellow-haired Prince bounced once off the dirt path and flew into the air, reaching an abnormal height for a human. His sword swung down, slicing the left side of the hollow's face. Ichigo landed from his jump with a _thump!_ The hollow roared angrily as it reached up and rubbed the bleeding cut. Its blood was an orange color, and it dripped down its face in a gush.

"There's no way we're running!" Tatsuki said stubbornly. She could see all the workers who were still running away from the hollow. _It's my responsibility to protect the workers_, Tatsuki thought to herself. She couldn't leave the fighting to just the Princes. Her fear had her adrenaline running as she turned from the orchard and ran toward the hollow.

"Tatsuki, no!" Orihime screamed. She stayed near to the orchard, afraid to get any closer. "Gods be damned," Orihime swore. "What does she think she has to prove!"

The hollow's anger was incited as it swung its large hand downward at Ichigo. Ichigo dodged the blow, leaping to the side. The hollow's hand struck the Kurosaki carriage instead, blowing it to pieces. Scraps of wood went flying. One piece flew at Orihime. She ducked as it hit the apple tree behind her instead. Uryuu could see that the hollow now had its attention fixed on Tatsuki. It stomped toward the lean girl as it screeched loudly once more.

"Hey, over here!" Uryuu yelled, waving his sword in the air to get the hollow's attention. The hollow's head swung from looking at Tatsuki to looking at Uryuu. Its hand reached out and tried to whack Uryuu. Uryuu brought his sword up and dragged it down at the hollow's hand, slicing a deep cut into the hollow's hand. Orange blood oozed out of the cut. The hollow roared angrily once more. But then, instead of attacking Uryuu again, it turned around and stomped toward Orihime. The hollow screeched loudly and swung a hand at her.

Orihime screamed as she turned and ran into the orchard. Unfortunately, she had not been looking where she was going and ran straight into the trunk of an apple tree. She stumbled, tripped and fell to the ground. The hollow continued to stomp toward her and was now only a few feet away. Orihime scrambled backward on her hands and knees.

"Orihime!" Tatsuki called fearfully. Both Ichigo and Uryuu ran toward Orihime. It was too late though; the hollow raised its hand and swiped at Orihime. Instead of hitting Orihime though, the hollow's hand struck a glowing glass barrier. The barrier shattered as the hollow's hand collided with it. Orihime gasped with surprise.

"What the…" Uryuu said, freezing in his tracks.

Then, a bright light appeared from the sky. The light was near blinding as a figure appeared before them. When the light disappeared, a woman in gold and white robes floated in the sky. Her face was obscured, blurred by the setting sun, but Orihime could see her flowing blonde hair. The woman glowed with an otherworldly presence.

"_That's enough from you!_" She called out and raised her hand. "_Be gone!_" A beam of light shot out from her fingers and zinged at the hollow. The hollow roared loudly with anger. Its hands turned into fists and pounded its chest. Slowly though, the hollow began to disintegrate. The roaring began to fade. And before Orihime knew it, the hollow was no longer there. Suddenly, it was dead silent.

All attention turned to the floating Goddess who hovered neared Orihime.

"_Be not afraid, Orihime Inoue_," the Goddess called out. Her voice was melodious and echoed. Her face was still darkened with shadows from the sunset. "_I am Rangiku Matsumoto, Goddess of Love and Beauty. Today I bestow onto you a gift._ _I give you the gift of __**the shield**__. Use it to protect yourself and the ones you love…" _ Her voice began to fade as the bright light appeared once more. The light flashed once, and then the Goddess was gone.

Orihime, Tatsuki, Uryuu and Ichigo's jaws were wide open as they stared at each other silently.

"Did…did that just happen?" Tatsuki finally asked.

"I think it did," Uryuu replied as he sheathed his sword. He walked over to Orihime and offered her a hand. She took it and stood up, feeling slightly ashamed of her cowardly behavior. She dusted off her apron and dress and avoided eye contact with her friends. There was so much for her to take in. She barely knew where to begin.

"Are you alright?" He asked her gently. Orihime nodded.

"The Goddess of Love and Beauty?!" Tatsuki said with shock. "Orihime! You've been blessed by the Goddess of Love and Beauty."

"Yes…yes, I realize that," Orihime said shakily.

"Hollow attacks so near the village. Something is definitely wrong," Ichigo frowned. He sheathed his sword and stepped over to where Orihime and Uryuu stood. "I'm glad you're alright," he said kindly.

"Thank you," she said, blushing.

"What are you thinking?" Uryuu asked Ichigo. Ichigo rubbed his chin and looked lost in thought for a moment.

"Hmm…I need to discuss what happened with my father and General Chad. They'll want to know about this. You should tell your father as well. If hollows have been appearing near the Ishida Kingdom like you said, then your defenses will need to be raised."

"I realize that," Uryuu nodded.

"Tatsuki, you will keep me apprised of anything that happens," Ichigo stated. He was a prince and so used to giving orders. It was second nature for him to tell Tatsuki what to do.

"Of course," Tatsuki said. She raised her chin ever so slightly, surprised to be given the order.

"From here on out, you and Orihime are welcomed at the Kurosaki castle. Please come any time if you've heard of any hollow attacks that I should know about," Ichigo continued. "I think it's safe to say, after what happened today, that we are all friends," he added with a small smile.

"Tatsuki! Orihime!" Keigo called out as he ran up to them. "What in the seven hells happened?" Mizuiro ran up to them as well, followed by the carpenter.

"A hollow attack," Tatsuki grimaced. "You won't believe what happened. I shall have to tell you in a moment."

"We brought the carpenter, though it wasn't easy. He was too scared to come right away," Mizuiro explained, shooting a glare at the older man.

"Everyone is talking about the attack," the old man defended himself. "Well, I'm here now and I've got my tools. Show me the…" The old man stared at the remaining rubbles of the carriage. "Well there's not much I can do about that…"

"It's alright, at this point there should be another carriage coming," Ichigo explained.

"This is silly. We should just share my carriage. The other carriage can come get your trunks later," Uryuu said. Suddenly, Uryuu realized he had not thought about his coachman and footmen at all during the attack. He turned and looked at their direction only to see them still cowering behind the carriage.

"Alright, if you must insist," Ichigo agreed.

"I do."

"Well, I'm afraid we must get going," Ichigo stated. "With everything that has happened, I want to go tell my father and General Chad as soon as possible." Tatsuki and Orihime nodded.

"Of course," Tatsuki said.

"We bid you farewell for now," Uryuu said with a bow.

"Farewell, my lords," Tatsuki and Orihime said. They both curtseyed and watched as Ichigo and Uryuu walked over to the silver and blue carriage. The two princes got into the carriage and disappeared.

* * *

It was nearly midnight when Orihime finally found herself alone. After everything that happened, she had insisted on working that evening at the tavern despite Tatsuki's objections. It had been an extremely busy night, with so many visitors in town for the fall festival. Now, though, Orihime found herself alone in one of the Arisawa canoes. It floated along on the peaceful lake- the same one that she and her friends had previously wanted to swim in that day. She lay back in it and stared up at the stars and thought about her day. The sky was dark and the stars twinkled with subtle colors. The crescent moon was high and white. It looked crisp and clear enough to cut through the sky. It was a quiet night.

Orihime thought about the Goddess appearing and granting her the blessed gift. Why her? She was nothing special- just a mere peasant girl. What did having the gift mean? Would there be more hollow attacks? Would she need to use it often? And then there was the hollow itself. Orihime wasn't sure why, but for some reason she had felt like the hollow was interested in her specifically. It seemed to have been headed for her instead of her friends. But then why would it be only interested in her? What had she done to garner the wrath of hollows? There were so many questions that spun in Orihime's head that she nearly got dizzy just thinking of all of them. Perhaps she needed to talk to Tatsuki again. It had been such a busy evening that the two friends hadn't had the chance to discuss the events in depth. Yes, that's what she needed to do. She needed to talk to Tatsuki and then she would feel better. Orihime nodded to herself as she closed her eyes. It was so peaceful out here, she could fall asleep. A subtle breeze came along and skimmed her skin pleasantly.

"Ahhh…that's nice," Orihime said aloud to herself. She closed her eyes and began to doze.

The breeze began to pick up. It was no longer a breeze but a strong gust of wind, sweeping across the lake causing ripples to form. Her canoe bobbed back and forth, threatening to tip over. The motion woke Orihime up. She sat up in her canoe quickly.

"Ack!" Orihime cried as she tried to grab one of the canoe's ores. The wind was now blowing in a circular motion over the lake, causing a vortex to form. Before Orihime could even realize it, the wind had turned the lake into a spinning whirlpool. The canoe began to spin in a circle.

"HELP!" Orihime yelled out. She had grabbed one of the ores and was now furiously paddling. Her attempts to get out of the sucking whirlpool were futile though. The canoe was now in the dead center of the whirlpool and spun around swiftly. The sides of the canoe bobbed back and forth and then tipped over.

Orihime fell into the lake. Her head hit the side of the canoe and she saw stars for a moment. Her body began to sink as her head slowly settled itself. Suddenly, Orihime realized what was going on. She was going to die if she didn't start swimming! The lake's strong currents washed over her as she automatically began to kick and flail against the centrifugal motion of the water. Her swimming efforts seemed useless though since she did not seem to go anywhere. Instead she merely kept spinning around in a circle. The strength of the whirlpool kept trying to suck her under. Orihime opened her eyes and looked up long enough to see the canoe flying toward her again. This time when it hit her head, she was knocked out.

* * *

When Orihime woke up, she was laying on the shores of a dark beach. Her head ached and her stomach felt nauseous. She lifted her head and opened her eyes. She was no longer on the Arisawa farm anymore. Instead what she saw amazed her. The beach she was on was made up of black sand. The water lapping quietly against the beach was a milky white color. It was nearly pitch black except for the soft glow of pink fireflies. She could barely see anything in the darkness. There were shadowy trees that looked like weeping willows.

"_How did you get here_?" A low male voice boomed at her. Orihime looked up and saw him.

He stood several feet away from her in simple white clothing. He wore a white collarless shirt and white military-styled pants tucked into knee-high black boots. His hands were tucked into the pockets of his pants. He stared at her with dark green eyes. His handsome face was framed by a pair of dark thick eyebrows. His expression was mainly stoic except for the subtle gleam of surprise in his eyes.

"Ahh…" Orihime began as she scrambled to her feet. Her hands automatically patted herself down, expecting her gown to be wet. Instead she found her clothes were completely dry. She reached up and touched her hair. It too was completely dry. It was as if she had never fallen into the lake.

"How did you get here?" He asked again as he began to approach her. He kept his distance, but instead circled her as if he were evaluating her still.

"How did I get here?" She asked. He continued to circle her like she was prey.

"Precisely the question, how did you get here?" His voice was low and dark, velvety in its tone. He narrowed his eyes.

She shivered.

"I was…I was taking a nap in my canoe. And…and then a whirlpool formed out of nowhere and…and it dragged my canoe in," she gulped loudly. Their eyes remained locked, green clashing against grey.

She didn't add the part about how terrifying it had been drowning in the water. She had swallowed gulp after gulp of water while her legs thrashed underneath her. Her arms had flailed helplessly. Her efforts had been useless against the vortex of water which sucked her under. It had been frightening to know that her struggles were futile. She had truly thought she was going to die.

"I passed out and woke up here," she waved a hand, pointing to where she had woken up along the shore. It was completely silent, except for sound of the milky white water splashing against the black sand. All around them, pink fireflies continued to flitter about. The glowing insects circled them as if they were fascinated with the conversation.

"And you woke up here," he repeated. His voice held no emotion. He stopped pacing and stood before her. They were only a foot apart and Orihime could feel his warm breath on her skin. She held back another urge to shiver again. He was examining her so intensely with his green gaze. She had goosebumps on her arms and her lower lip trembled. She did everything in her power to not cower with fear.

"You're extremely beautiful, Orihime Inoue," he stated plainly. He commented on her looks as if he were commenting on a tree or a rock. It was not a compliment at all- merely a passing observation.

She looked away. She could feel her cheeks getting warm as embarrassment washed over her.

"I…I'm not…"

"Oh, but you are," he interjected. "You do know how dangerous beauty is around here?"

"No…I don't…" she said softly, trying to avoid his green gaze. He leaned in, his lips suddenly inches from hers.

"You had better leave," he whispered heatedly. Finally, she looked up at him and the intensity in his eyes nearly took her breath away. "Before the darkness here eats you alive."


	2. When I Made a Deal with the Devil

**Chapter 2: When I Made a Deal with the Devil**

This was his realm, his private realm. How she managed to penetrate it was beyond his comprehension. _She does not belong here. _

He stood quietly observing her. She stared at him with large grey eyes, fear as apparent as ever in them. _Good_, he thought to himself, _she should be afraid._ She was a wisp of a girl, insignificant. She was short and thin, despite her womanly attributes. Clad in a simple brown gown and a dirty ivory apron it was clear she was a mere human peasant girl. This was no lady or princess. Yet despite all his objective observations, a dark voice in the back of his mind told him that she was more than she appeared. Her golden hair seemed to glow even in the darkness of his realm. Her skin was ethereal, luminescent, exuding life. Her lips, the palest of pink, were parted as quick breaths escaped them. Her grey eyes were sharp and intelligent. She managed to seem formidable despite the fear that exuded from her. There was something unusual about her.

Then it finally struck him.

"You've been touched…" he said, his low voice barely above a whisper.

"What? I don't understand what you mean…" she replied, her voice laced with confusion.

"You've been touched by the Gods. Or at least one of the Gods…" he narrowed his eyes and began to circle her again. It required him to step into the milky waters, but it didn't matter since the water did not get his shoes wet.

"Ah…yes…" she replied, blushing. He was unnerving her.

"Which God?"

"Uh…huh?"

"Which God…" he asked more firmly, his patience wearing thin. He paused, taking a break from his pacing. She folded her hands in front of her.

"Rangiku Mastumoto…"

"The Goddess of Love and Beauty," he said reflexively. He knit his brows as he thought hard about what this meant. It made sense in a way. This woman before him was beautiful after all. But why would the Goddess choose a simple peasant girl? And how would that grant her access to his realm, his _personal _realm? Perhaps it was some sick joke the Gods were playing on him. However, even the Gods' powers were limited in this world of darkness.

"I see…" he said, staring off in a distance. He must have been silent for too long because she cleared her throat, drawing his attention back to her.

"What…what did you mean when you said the darkness will eat me alive?" She asked carefully.

"Precisely that, if you stay here you will be eaten alive by the darkness," he replied.

"But how is that even possible?"

"You must know?"

"Yes."

"I don't think you want to know the details," he said, shaking his head.

"If I am indeed to be eaten alive, I should at least know how ahead of time," she said, raising her chin ever so slightly in defiance.

_How amusing._

"Well, if you must know, woman…" he began, watching her carefully. "First, you get covered by dark soot- a black, ash-like residue that covers your skin. It starts first by appearing on the tips of your fingers…and then your nose and ears, and then your hands get dirtied. Soon your skin is crawling with black soot. You can try to wipe it off but it will not come off."

She shivered. He should feel gleeful, having induced even more fear from her. But instead he felt something else. Her reaction affected him…somehow. He could not say how precisely.

"Then, your extremities begin to numb," he continued. He kept his gaze steady. "Again, many people experience it in their fingers and toes first. The numbing sensation spreads, moving up your hands and into your arms until your whole body numbs, until you feel nothing at all."

It was silent for a moment.

"Then what happens?" Her voice squeaked. He could see she was wringing the fabric of her gown in her hands. Her breaths were quick with anticipation.

"You then start to lose pieces of your body- a finger here, a toe there. They just disappear into the darkness."

She gasped aloud but immediately clapped a hand over her mouth. Her cheeks turned pink with embarrassment at her own reaction.

"I see…" her voice was high as she tried to recover herself. She let go of the fabric of her gown. Her hands seemed to tremble a bit.

"It can be…disheartening to watch your limbs disappear before you," Ulquiorra said, a corner of his lips turning up.

"I can only imagine," she said, after a pause she cleared her throat once more. "So…is this where I plead and beg for your aid?"

He raised an eyebrow in response.

"Am I not to beg and plead for your aid now, now that you've thoroughly scared me out of my wits," Orihime challenged.

"You may beg and plead all you wish, my lady. I am not doing a single thing to help you," Ulquiorra stated.

"Ugh!" She half laughed. For the first time she took a step forward from the place she had been standing in. "Of course not…" she trailed off.

Ulquiorra did not say anything.

"Where am I anyways?" She finally asked softly. She began to pace back and forth on the dark beach, her slippers sinking into the soft sand. Her gown swayed with her as she paced. "What is this place?"

He did not answer. It was too personal to admit that this was his private realm, his own place of peace- that she had managed to infiltrate the one place that belonged to him.

"I see you're not going to answer me," she said, watching him carefully with those pretty grey eyes. There was a light behind those eyes, a light that seem inextinguishable. "Am I to die here then?" She asked, her hands reaching up and touching her neck in reflex. His eyes followed her hands to that delicate neck.

"Perhaps," he replied hoarsely.

"But you…the darkness does not affect you?" She asked. Even though she was clearly feeling more comfortable moving about, she still kept her distance from him- for some reason that bothered him. He took a step forward just to see if she would step back from him. She did not move.

"It does not," he admitted.

"And why is that?"

"Simple. I belong here," he stated. He looked away from her. Darkness was all he knew. He had resigned himself to darkness a long time ago.

"You belong here in the darkness…." She frowned as she thought about that fact. Her eyes grew wide with understanding and apprehension. "You're…" she looked up at him.

He stayed silent, waiting for her to complete her thought. _She knew._

"You're a Prince of Darkness?"

He stayed silent, giving away his answer.

"Is this…one of the seven hells? Am I dead?" She whispered, her face turning even paler than her normal shade. She took several steps back and stumbled over herself. Her feet splashed into the waters behind her. The fireflies still danced around her excitedly.

"No, you are not dead," he quickly scowled, slightly annoyed at himself for automatically answering her. Why should he care if she were to think she was dead? Let her worry herself into a frenzy. Still, he had reassured her without hesitation. _Why did I do that?_ He questioned. Feeling frustrated with himself, Ulquiorra suppressed a growl of annoyance.

"Then…where am I?" She asked.

"You are in my personal realm," he barked. Again he felt irritated that she had managed to get him to admit the truth.

She was quiet for a moment, as if she needed the time to process his answer.

"I didn't know Princes of Darkness had their own realms," she said softly, contemplatively.

"We do," Ulquiorra sighed inwardly.

"Who are you exactly?" She asked, her eyes narrowing slightly. He paused for a moment, again unsure if he wanted to tell her the truth. In the end, he decided it did not matter if she knew. Her fate would not change.

"I am Ulquiorra Schiffer, the fourth Prince of Darkness," his voice was low with authority.

"I am Orihime Inoue," she said rather solemnly. They stood in silence, watching each other warily.

She stared at him with crystal grey eyes, luminous eyes that made his chest constrict. Her innocence was driving a stake through his cold and empty chest. Did he feel something? How was she able to stand here and not be as affected as she should be by him? She should be more fearful, more devastated with her fate. She was going to die here in his realm and he would do nothing to stop it. She was making him question himself too much. It was time- time to leave her to her fate. This had gone on long enough.

"Orihime Inoue," he said. "You've made a grave mistake coming here. I would congratulate you on your accomplishment, but I'm afraid our time together ends now." He began to turn around with every intention of leaving.

Panic came into her eyes.

"Wait!" She called out.

He paused, unsure of what compelled him to stop. He looked at her. He should just leave, let the darkness eat her alive. She would disappear forever and he would not have to give her a second thought- although, part of him would forever wonder why and how she had ended up in his realm. In fact, he would always wonder about her. He would wonder why she had been blessed by the Goddess. What made her so special? Did she receive a gift from the Goddess as well? Something about her was different. It went beyond the fact that she was blessed by the Gods. It was possible that fate had plans for her beyond anyone's control.

"There must…there must be something I can do…" she took a step toward him. Her grey eyes pleaded with him. He had to look away.

"Oh?" He said cynically.

"Yes, there must be something I can do to convince you to…to help me get out of here," Orihime said bravely. She kept walking toward him until she was courageously close. He merely stared at her blankly. "Perhaps…something I could give you that you might want?"

He slowly looked her over, his mind suddenly filling with ideas.

"What could you possibly have that I would want?" He asked, his throat suddenly dry. She squirmed under his scrutiny. This brought him some pleasure.

"Ah…I don't know…" her eyes sinking with despair. A tear formed in the corner of her eye. The tear distracted him from his _other_ thoughts. Suddenly, Ulquiorra began to feel extremely frustrated. What was he to do with a near-weeping girl? Besides, he had…matters to attend to that were far more important.

"I could…I could…" she began. He could see she was struggling to come up with an idea. "I could give you…a favor."

"A favor?" He quirked an eyebrow.

"Yes," a spark jumped back into her eyes. "Yes! There must be something you'll need in the future- help with something. I would be in your debt." She bit her lip. She was obviously unaware of what it meant to make a deal with the devil. He thought over her proposition. She must have sensed his skepticism.

"There must be something you'll need…someday…" she added.

"What could I possibly need you for?"

"Please…" she said "I don't know what I could offer. I'm a simple girl, really. I'm poor and I don't have a lot of material possessions. But there must be something you might want…maybe not now, but someday."

"Someday I may ask for more than you can give. This is not a game you want to play," he threatened, his face dead serious. "I could ask for your skull, you brain, your heart…your soul." He reached out, pretending to touch her forehead. The skin there would be soft and warm, protecting the bone underneath. Instead his fingers touched the cool air. He looked down at her chest where her heart beat strongly. It fascinated him, that pulse. It was so very…human. He walked toward her and reached out, his fingers barely grazing the fabric of her gown. She did not step back, this formidable woman. She stood there shaking, but she did not move. She had to tilt her head back in order to look at his face.

"Woman…do you know what you offer?" He narrowed his eyes. Somewhere in the back of his mind, and evil voice whispered…_She could be __**mine**__._ He imagined capturing her and keeping her, like a firefly in a jar. He would have her forever…or at least until she died. Humans did that didn't they? They eventually…withered away. Useless to think about it. He took the idea and firmly shoved it aside.

"I asked…" he said more firmly. "Do you know what you offer?"

She didn't say anything, only stared at him as if transfixed. Her eyes looked a bit lost. Her lips parted ever so slightly. He imagined a breath escaping her mouth and skating across his skin.

"You don't seem so sure," he said, his voice low and teasing. "What if I wanted someone you cared for? Someone you loved?" This was a game he liked playing. He was scaring her in all the right ways.

Her eyes snapped shut as she seemed to squint with pain at the idea.

"You wouldn't…"

"Oh…but I could…"

"I…"

Before she could finish he cut her off.

"Know what you are asking, Orihime Inoue. Being in debt to me can be fate worse than death," he grounded out. He stared at her intensely in warning. She opened her eyes, a determined look now on her face.

"I would never give you one of my friends!" She said fiercely. The intensity of her tone surprised him. He tilted his head back and gazed down at her. She was a strange creature, this girl.

"Yet you offer yourself to me…" he pointed out. They still stood close, so close he could smell her. The scent of jasmine wafted toward him, making his mind foggy for a moment. He had to step away. He walked several paces past her toward the lake. The water splashed against his shoes loudly. He looked across the lake into the empty darkness.

"I offer _myself_, not my friends," she firmly corrected. "And I offered to help you, not give myself to you."

"I see," he replied dryly. He stuck his hands back into his pockets. "Still, your offer to help me is a dangerous one."

"I…I know," she sighed in defeat. "But what choice do I have?" He glanced back at her without comment. She looked down at her hands at that moment and noticed the black ash on them. She gasped loudly and started rubbing her hands. It was an automatic instinct to want to get the ash off. Of course it wouldn't come off. Her breaths came fast as she rubbed and rubbed to no avail.

"You don't have long…" he pointed out.

"Ack!" Orihime yelled in frustration. "Please!" She looked up at him with desperation. The ash was beginning to crawl up her forearms. Soon her flesh would numb and then she would be gone. Tears formed in her eyes. Something inside him snapped.

"Alright." he stated. He kept his tone quiet, belying his true frustrated nature. "I will help you leave. In return, you will be in my debt. I shall call upon you whenever and wherever I please, and you shall give me whatever I wish."

Orihime breathed a sigh of relief as she closed her eyes.

* * *

When she opened her eyes she was back in her tiny bedroom. Orihime gasped as she turned around surveying everything. All seemed normal. The ceilings of the room were slanted since her bedroom was at the top of the tavern building. Her narrow bed sat in the center of the room, its patchwork covers neatly made, and the flattened pillow lay at the head of the bed as usual. A small wooden table with a few old books and a small glowing oil lamp sat beside her bed. In the corner of the room, a short bookshelf sat with a limited supply of precious books. An old worn carpet covered the wooden floors. Across the room, a small window showed that it was nighttime outside. Orihime walked to the window and glanced out. She could see patrons of the tavern stumbling out the front doors. Yes, everything was normal.

But yet everything had changed.

Orihime clutched the fabric of her gown on her chest. He had barely touched her there, but it felt like he had reached in and grabbed her very soul. Her hand shook. She took a deep breath to steady herself. It had happened, didn't it? It had really happened.

When she had first woken up in the dark realm, panic was the immediate reaction she had had. She knew immediately she was no longer in the real world. The air was so eerily still and there was no noise except the lapping of the water against the shore. She had never seen pink fireflies before nor had she seen those beautiful grey trees that looked like weeping willows. Despite the awe she had felt at her surroundings, she knew instinctively that she was not safe. Then, when she laid eyes on him, fear solidified within her. Orihime swallowed hard as she remembered what it felt like to be under his scrutiny. His green eyes were unlike anything she had ever seen: emerald and striking, framed by black thick eyelashes. They seemed to see right through to her very core. His presence had commanded her attention, and he looked at her as if he wanted to eat her alive.

Yet he inspired more than fear in her. She had been fascinated with him as well. She shivered when she thought about how close he had gotten to her. She had seen how smooth and pale his skin was, saw how perfectly formed his lips were, and how his eyes shone like glass. And she couldn't but wonder what his skin would feel like, cold or warm like hers. There was so much she wanted to ask him. She wanted to know about what it was like being a Prince of Darkness. She wanted to know about the underworld, specifically his personal realm that she had ended up in. She wanted to know how she had arrived there, if there was some greater grand scheme that had led her there.

He had guessed that she had been touched by the Goddess. How did he know? She had barely any time to contemplate such a thing at the time. Before long the ash had appeared on her fingertips and she was suddenly desperate for his aid. In her desperation, she had agreed to give him a favor. Why had she done such a stupid thing? It was obvious that fear drove her to that decision, but now she owed a favor to a Prince of Darkness! What would she do? He could appear at any moment and ask her for anything.

Suddenly, there was a loud pounding at her door. Orihime jumped with surprise.

"Orihime? Are you home?" A muffled female voice came from the other side of the door. Orihime knew right away it was Tatsuki. What should she do? Should she tell Tatsuki about what happened? Would her friend even believe her? Orihime looked down at her hands, almost expecting the black ash to still be there.

"Orihime?" Tatsuki called out again.

"Ah…coming!" Orihime replied as she stumbled to the door and unlocked it.

"There you are," Tatsuki said, walking into the small bedroom. "I was worried about you. I heard you had gone out to the lake but nobody ever saw you come back."

"Ahh…haha, yeah, I just sort of snuck in," Orihime said, offering a shrug and a shaky smile.

"What's wrong? You're acting strange," Tatsuki blinked.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Orihime faked a laugh and walked back over to the window. She glanced outside, pretending to be interested in whatever was happening in front of the tavern. This was silly. Why didn't she just tell Tatsuki about what happened? Orihime had been telling Tatsuki almost everything ever since they had become friends. Yet something was holding Orihime back- a whisper in the back of her head that told her not to tell Tatsuki. Perhaps Tatsuki knowing would put her in danger somehow. _Best not to tell her,_ Orihime thought to herself.

Tatsuki stood in the center of the bedroom watching Orihime with narrowed eyes. It was clear she sensed something was wrong and wouldn't back down. Orihime had to suppress a sigh.

"What was it you wanted to talk to me about?" Orihime asked, trying to distract Tatsuki. Tatsuki blinked several times and Orihime could see that her friend had decided to put aside the issue.

"There was another hollow attack out by the Jagger barn," Tatsuki reported with a determined look on her face. "I think we should journey to the castle tomorrow and tell Ichigo."

"Ahh what? That's terrible news. Was anyone hurt?" Orihime gasped.

"Unfortunately, two children were killed," Tatsuki said sadly. Orihime lowered her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Do you think we need to? I mean, I'm sure news will travel as it always does….and…and the Prince is probably really busy," Orihime suggested.

"Ichigo told us to alert him of any hollow activities, besides I want to go see the castle. This gives us an excuse to go check it out. I haven't been there since I was practically a baby," Tatsuki said with a spark in her eyes. "What are you afraid of anyways?"

"I don't know…he intimidates me I guess. I'm just not as comfortable around royalty as you are," Orihime said with a small smile.

"He's no different than you and me," Tatsuki said.

"That's not true! I've heard rumors that he's touched by the Gods. Didn't you see how high up he jumped during the hollow attack? That was not human," Orihime pointed out.

"What about you? The Goddess herself appeared and gave you a gift, Orihime!"

Orihime blushed.

"I know…" Orihime said, looking away.

"Do you…do you want to talk about it?" Tatsuki asked hesitantly.

"I'm not sure what to even say about it…" Orihime replied.

"I wanted to ask you earlier, but you seemed so rushed to work…I figured I'd give you some space to think about it," Tatsuki said, her eyes softening a little.

"Thank you, that's very thoughtful of you," Orihime offered a smile. "I don't know what to think about the whole situation. I don't understand why I was chosen….I mean I'm just an ordinary girl," Orihime said.

"There must be something special about you that the Gods see," Tatsuki pointed out. "What about this gift the Goddess gave you?"

"I don't even know anything about it. I can't make it appear at all. I'm not sure how it works. Am I supposed to just think about it and a shield shall appear?"

"Hmm…maybe it will take some time," Tatsuki said with a shrug. "Whatever the case, you're someone special now."

"Tatsuki…" Orihime began.

"Yes?"

"I don't want anyone to know about what happened…about the Goddess showing up and giving me that gift."

"Some people might have already seen it, Orihime. The coachmen and the footmen…"

"They were hiding the entire time…"

"No, there's no way they didn't see."

"Please…even so, I don't want the word spreading faster than it needs to….I don't want people treating me differently," Orihime said shaking her head. Tatsuki pursed her lips but nodded.

"Alright," she said.

.


End file.
